Fire-escape



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. W. GRIFFIN.

FIRE BSGAPE.

Patented Apr.3,1883.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. W. GRIFFIN.

PIRE ESCAPE.

No. Z7 97. Patented Apr.3, 1883.

FEE?,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. GRIFFIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming'A part of Letters Patent No. 275,197, dated April 3, 1883.

Application filed December 15, 1882. (No model.)

ing drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view, showing the carriage and method of firing the grapnel into or over a'burning building; Fig.

,2, a perspective view of the ladder in position for use; Fig. 3, a view of the grapnel detached; and Fig. 4., an interior view, showing the grapnel and ladder secured to the window-sills of a building.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to that class of tire-escapes y which are usually erected during the tire from the ground on the exterior of the burning building; and it consists, first, in a grapnel, having a novel construction and arrangement of parts, to be used in combination with a mortar or gun for tiring the same into or over the burning building, and witha ladder for the escape of the inmates thereof; and, secondly, in a carriage provided with a mortar or gun, a light, and a reel or reels, to be used in operating the invention, and forming a part of the same, all as hereinafter more t'nlly set forth and claimed, by which a more effective device of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its simplicity rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.

In the drawings, A represents the carriage, B the ladder, and G the grapnel.

The carriage is preferably divided into two sections, d a, which are 'so constructed as to leave the space betweenthe same, section a being provided with a seat for the driver, and d with the mortar or gun G.

The grapnel C is composed of an iron rod or bar, j', provided at one of its ends with the chain g and ball h and at its other with the block or sheave m. A sleeve or collet, t', is firmly secured to the barj, and provided with a series of stout dukes or radially-arranged hooks,j, inclined at an angle of about thirtyfive degrees to the barf, the hooks projecting rearward, or in the direction of the block m. The sleeve may be arranged in any desired position on the bar; but it is preferable that it should be located nearest the end to which the chain is attached.

The ladder B, considered as a whole, consists of two distinct ladders, composed otl ropes, and arranged side by side, both being secured to the common head-stock or bar H, which is provided with the hooks land ring z. Each section ofthe ladder has its inner side piece, p. -trmly secured to a canvas sack, J, which is also attached at its upper end to the bar H, and forms a chute, down which a person rcscued from the burning building may be readily passed to the ground without injury, as shown in Fig. 2.

Two reels, K L, are disposed on the rear portion ofthe carriage A,as shown in Fig. l,thereel L carrying a stout cord, N, ofsufcient length, when doubled, to reach to the top ofthe highest buildings, and the reel K the ladder B. Either or both these reels may be detached from the carriage and used separately, if desired, in Fig. 1 the reel L heilig represented as detached and also as in position on the carriage, and the reelKas detached; but the reel for the cord may be entirely dispensed with and the cord disposed in 'section d of the carriage or transported in any other convenient manner, although areel for that purpose is deemed preferable.

A lime or oxyhydrogen light, M, is mounted on the forward part ot' the carriage, the gasreservoirs and apparatus for supplying the same being of ordinary construction and located in section a beneath the seat ot' the driver.

The mortar G is mounted on a turn-table or carriage, n,in such a manner as to be swiveled or turned in any desired direction, and, when necessary, may be detached from the carriage A yand used on the ground, as shown in Fig. 2.

IOO

In the useof myimprovement one end of the cord N is passed through the sheave-block m and secured to a post or other convenientfastening, as shown in Fig. 1. Tile mortar or gun G, being first loaded with a powder-cartridge, the ball h is then inserted in the same, after which it is pointed and tired in a direction to carry the grapneleitheroverthe burning building or into one of its windows, as may be desired. After the mortar has been fired and the grapuel has effected a lodgment on the building or attached itself to awindowsill by means ofthe hooksj, as shown in Fig. 4,l one end of thc cord N is secured to the ring z in the bar H and the ladder drawn up against, the building by pulling on the other end of the cord, as shown in Fig. 2-,whereit is held in posit-ion by passing the hooks liuto a window, as seen in Fig. 4, or by attaching them to anyA other convenient support, after w hich the cord may be detached from the ladder and the grapnel lowered to the ground, if desired.

In Fig. 1 the free end of the cord, or end opposite that on the reel L, is represented as secured to the lamp-post Q; but instead of being so secured, after its end has been passed through the sheave a suiicient quantity of the cord to reach onto the burning building may be unwound from the reel and coiled on the ground, so that when the mortar is tired the cord will pass through the sheave m with less resistance than where one end is secured to the reel and the other to some permanent fixture, like a post or ring-bolt. The entire cord may also be doubled in the form of a. loop, it' preferred, and wound onto the drum of the reel, the block m being previously attached in the bend ofthe loop, as shown in Fig. 4, and provided with meansfor securingit-` eadily to the bar f, so that when the grapne is tired from the mortar both parts of the cord will unwind from the reel but not pass through the sheave during'theiiight of the ball, the ladder vbeing drawn up in such case in the same manner as when one end of the cord isV secured to a post or other fixture and the other to the reel.

A dog, F, provided with a ring, q. through which a cord may be passed and secured to the ring z, is used to lower the ladder to the ground, the dog being driven into or attached to the roof or any other contiguous portion of the building when it becomes necessary to remove the ladder.

The ladder and also the chute may be rendered fire-proof by saturating them with proper chemicals for that purpose or in any other suitable manner, and guy-ropes y may be employed to steady the same, if necessary.

I do not contine myselt'strictly to the use ot' a ladder constructed as shown in Fig. 2 or to a grapnel and carriage ofthe precise construction shown in Fig. 1, as all the parts of myimproved fire-escape may be varied considerably without materially departing from the spirit of the invention. Neither do 1 contine myselt'to the use of the grapnel in a fire-escape, as it is evident that it may be used for various other purposes; nor to the use of a ladder, as it will also be evident that the cord N may in many instances be used, instead ot'aladder, to escape from the burning building.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a fire-escape, theimproved grapnel described, the same consisting of the barf, provided with the hooksj,chain Q,and ball h,con structed and arranged tooperate substantially as set forth.

2. The improved tire-escape described, the same consisting of the grapnel C, mortar G, cord N, reels K L,and carriageA, constructed, combined, and arranged to operate substantially as set forth and specified.

vWILLIAM W. GRIFFIN.

Witnesses:

E. C. HEATH, C. A. SHAW. 

